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Open-wheel conflict is unresolved

CART and IRL are far apart though many CART teams run the Indy 500.

By BRUCE LOWITT, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published June 29, 2002

Open-wheel racing predates the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Various organizations ran the sport, including the U.S. Auto Club, formed in 1955 by Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) owner Tony Hulman.

In 1978, Roger Penske and other team owners, failing to gain greater representation on USAC's board, formed CART. Within three years virtually all tracks switched allegiance from USAC, leaving the Indy 500 as its only USAC sanctioned race. When USAC attempted to bar CART from the 1979 Indy 500 a lawsuit ensued. USAC lost.

Tony George, Hulman's grandson, became IMS president in 1989. He voiced concern over the increasing cost of building cars. In 1994 he announced plans for the Indy Racing League.

The next year he said 25 of the 33 starting spots in the 1996 Indy 500 would be reserved for IRL teams. CART teams boycotted it.

Three months later the IRL introduced less expensive cars and engine and chassis specifications so different from CART's that neither could run in the other's series without great expense.

In 2000 Chip Ganassi became the first CART owner since 1995 to put a car in the Indy 500. His driver, Juan Montoya, won it. Last year, Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran were one-two.

CART said later it would adopt car engines and chassis similar to the IRL's, fueling speculation of a potential merger.

"That was an olive branch by us to try and bring us all together," said Pook, who since has announced CART would retain its turbocharged engines. "They summarily rejected it. ... We got the message loud and clear and we're going to run our business the way it was successfully run for 20 years before people started to manipulate it."

CART has no race to match the grandeur and draw of the Indy 500, has lost A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser Sr. and Jr. and the rest of its most popular drivers to retirement, ABC and ESPN left CART and stayed with the IRL, and Penske's team and popular drivers also left.

George was asked whether Honda's decision to leave CART and build engines for the IRL could be the final nail in CART's coffin. "I bring my hammer to work every day," he said.

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